Sam Raimi is arguably one of Hollywood’s top and most successful filmmakers. As a filmmaker, Raimi has worked extensively in two big genres, superhero and horror, which are known for their dedicated fanbases. Although today’s movie audiences recognize him for his work in the superhero genre, he has also directed and produced several classic horror films.
His interest in movies began when his father returned home with a film camera. Sam Raimi began making movies with an 8mm camera before he turned 10. Fast-forward five decades later, he has directed 16 feature-length films. With his upcoming 2026 survival horror Send Help, here’s a ranking of every one of Sam Raimi’s previous horror movies.
The Gift
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
Tomatometer: 58%
Popcornmeter: 55%
Sam Raimi’s 2000 supernatural thriller The Gift is the filmmaker’s least-rated film in the horror/supernatural genre. Although its reputation is solid, if not extraordinary, especially from the strong performances of its star-studded cast, the movie did not generally satisfy audiences looking for an innovative or surprising plot. The Gift centered around Annabelle “Annie” Wilson (Cate Blanchett), a widowed mother of three with a clairvoyant ability to see the past and future.
Working as a psychic in a small Georgia town, Annie is drawn into an investigation after a young woman, Jessica King (Katie Holmes), goes missing. The Gift also starred Keanu Reeves as Donnie Barksdale, an abusive husband and suspected killer of Jessica King. It also starred Giovanni Ribisi, Greg Kinnear, Hilary Swank, and J. K. Simmons. Although not critically successful, The Gift performed well at the Box Office, grossing $44.6 million against its $10 million budget.
Darkman
IMDb Rating: 6.4/10
Tomatometer: 83%
Popcornmeter: 60%
With a unique blend of action, horror, and comic book-style visuals, the 1990 Darkman incorporates elements of classic superhero stories, albeit with darker, more violent tones. Liam Neeson led the film’s cast as Dr. Peyton Westlake, a scientist who’s left disfigured after a brutal attack by criminals. Westlake had been working on creating synthetic skin for burn victims, but after the attack, he became a vigilante, using his invention to create disguises.
He takes on the persona of Darkman, seeking vengeance while grappling with his own deteriorating mental state. Critics had mixed but generally positive reviews on Darkman. Over the years, Darkman gained a cult following, with many considering it a notable entry in the superhero genre. The movie also helped to establish Sam Raimi as a notable director, especially for his later work on the Spider-Man films.
Drag Me to Hell
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
Tomatometer: 92%
Popcornmeter: 62%
After directing the Spider-Man films, Sam Raimi returned to the horror genre with his 2009 supernatural horror masterpiece Drag Me to Hell. Its plot follows Christine Brown (Alison Lohman), a loan officer, who becomes the target of a curse after denying an older woman a mortgage extension. The older woman, Ilenka Ganush (Bojana Novakovic), places a powerful and terrifying curse on Christine. This leads to a series of increasingly horrific and supernatural events. As Christine searches for ways to lift the curse, she’s tormented by demonic forces that threaten to drag her to Hell. Drag Me to Hell received generally positive reviews and was a Box Office success. It grossed an impressive $90.8 million from its $30 million budget.
Army of Darkness
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Tomatometer: 68%
Popcornmeter: 87%
Army of Darkness (1992) is the third installment in the Evil Dead franchise. In the movie, the protagonist Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) is accidentally transported back to the medieval era. There, he faces and fights an army of the undead to find a way back to the present. While it diverged from the more straightforward horror of the Evil Dead films, many viewed it as a fun and refreshing departure. The film generally had average to mixed critical reviews, with successful Box Office earnings. Part of its success was due to its divergent storyline from what audiences had been accustomed to in the franchise.
The Evil Dead
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Tomatometer: 86%
Popcornmeter: 84%
The 1981 independent supernatural horror film The Evil Dead was Sam Raimi’s debut in the horror genre. The movie also doubled as the filmmaker’s sophomore feature project. Considered Raimi’s biggest horror project, The Evil Dead is the first installment in the franchise and has since become a cult classic. Its plot follows five friends who travel to a remote cabin in the woods. Once there, they find an ancient book, the Necronomicon, and a recording of a ritual incarnation. When the incantation is played, it unleashes demonic forces that possess the group, one after the other. The Evil Dead is still considered one of Sam Raimi’s critical and commercially successful horror movies.
Evil Dead II
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
Tomatometer: 88%
Popcornmeter: 89%
Surprisingly, critics preferred the second installment, Evil Dead II (1987), to the first film. The movie had a plot similar to the first and was created as a retelling of events. However, it ends with the protagonist being sucked into a temporal vortex, transporting him to the past in the Middle Ages. Although it is Sam Raimi’s most critically acclaimed horror film, Evil Dead II was the least successful of the films Raimi directed for the franchise. Produced on a $3.5 million budget, Evil Dead II grossed $5.9 million worldwide after its theatrical run.
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